dCore, like TinyCore, uses standard technologies common to all Linux distributions in an ingenious way. A layman's understanding of these concepts helps understand the necessary steps for setting-up and managing a dCore installation.

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dCore, like Tiny Core, uses standard technologies common to all Linux distributions in an ingenious way. A layman's understanding of these concepts helps understand the necessary steps for setting-up and managing a dCore installation. This simplified explanation cuts some technical corners and is meant to outline Tiny Core Linux to new users.

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===== Operating principles of Core-Linux =====

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===== Linux Operating System =====

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The following presentation is extremely simplified and cuts some technical corners. It is meant to point out the technologies used by Core-Linux to new-comers.

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To operate a modern computer, one needs an [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system|operating system]],in our case [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux|Linux]]. More precisely, we use the Linux [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_%28operating_system%29|kernel]] but that is not all it takes. The kernel operates your computer, that is it manages the hardware components including RAM, video, network, input devices like keyboard or mouse, hard-disks, USB- and other interfaces etc. Furthermore, it keeps an eye on files, users and permissions (and of course does a lot more work, too).

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==== Linux operating system ====

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To operate a modern computer, one needs an operating system, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel|Linux]] in our case. More precisely, we use the Linux [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_%28operating_system%29|kernel]] but that is not all it takes. The kernel operates your computer, that is it manages the hardware components including RAM, video, network, input devices like keyboard or mouse, hard-disks, USB- and other interfaces etc. Furthermore, it keeps an eye on files, users and permissions (and of course does a lot more work, too).

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Simply put, the kernel is the first program running on a computer (neglecting BIOS/EFI and boot-loader). It does not do much on its own; instead it provides a platform for running user space programs. After the initial boot phase which makes the kernel run, control usually is handed over to the so-called [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Init|init-process]] ('/sbin/init') which calls the individual init-scripts.

Simply put, the kernel is the first program running on a computer (neglecting BIOS/EFI and boot-loader). It does not do much on its own; instead it provides a platform for running user space programs. After the initial boot phase which makes the kernel run, control usually is handed over to the so-called [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Init|init-process]] ('/sbin/init') which calls the individual init-scripts.

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Due to its very frugal nature, dCore makes use of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusyBox|BusyBox]] to provide shell and system tools. The shell provided by BusyBox is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell|Ash]] (Almquist shell). It is "virtually" POSIX-compatible does not provide all the extras of other shells like Bash or Dash.

Due to its very frugal nature, dCore makes use of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BusyBox|BusyBox]] to provide shell and system tools. The shell provided by BusyBox is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almquist_shell|Ash]] (Almquist shell). It is "virtually" POSIX-compatible does not provide all the extras of other shells like Bash or Dash.

Running from RAM yields some interesting consequences which mostly revolve about the fact that the root file system used is not only minimal but also ephemeral in the sense that any change to it will be only written to RAM but not back to the initrd archive on disk.

Running from RAM yields some interesting consequences which mostly revolve about the fact that the root file system used is not only minimal but also ephemeral in the sense that any change to it will be only written to RAM but not back to the initrd archive on disk.

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The '/home' and '/opt' directories can be included in the persistent storage or also put somewhere on a regular file system to make it persistent. The latter avoids (de-)compressing the full home folder at every bootup or shutdown.

The '/home' and '/opt' directories can be included in the persistent storage or also put somewhere on a regular file system to make it persistent. The latter avoids (de-)compressing the full home folder at every bootup or shutdown.